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I have a confession to share with you guys. I don’t teach math. That’s right. I haven’t for years. Why? Because I found Teaching Textbooks, and now thanks to some awesome changes, they have taken a great program and made it even better with the 3.0 version.
Math. Guys, listen, it is a subject I have never liked. And, if I’m honest, one I don’t even teach anymore. Yes, that’s right. I don’t teach math. There are a few reasons why this is.
I don’t like Math
I avoided math at all cost in high school and did my best to avoid it in college. I never understood it and never enjoyed it.
I don’t really remember anything I learned in high school math.
And honestly…. after graduating high school, I tested in below high school level math. And struggled with math throughout my college journey.
My kids and I learn math differently.
I have tried so many times to work on math with my girls. But, they both learn differently from each other, and they both learn differently than I do. One of us is visual, one is auditory, and one is kinesthetic. This makes teaching math extremely difficult. My oldest and I dealt with tears daily over math for a few years.
So, when the time came to teach upper-level math to my kids, I felt like I was failing them. Like I didn’t have what it took to confidently teach math. My husband tried taking it off of my plate, but reality sank in and time was not his friend. We knew something needed to change.
And then came Teaching Textbooks
(I was compensated for this post, but all opinions are my own. Be sure to read to the bottom for a chance to win your own subscription to the new Teaching Textbooks 3.0 )
There are a few reasons why we made the switch. As I said before, one big one was my kids learn differently than I do. However, even though we all have different learning styles we can all learn with Teaching Textbooks. I also liked that Teaching Textbooks has a textbook option in addition to the digital one. Oh, and as an added bonus, not only do I not have to teach math, but I don’t have to grade it either! You can read the full post and more details about each reason why we switched to Teaching Textbooks here.
Teaching Textbooks Gives us Confidence
We used the disc version of Teaching Textbooks for many years. I honestly haven’t taught math to my girls for at least three years. This means as we enter into the junior high and high school years I am confident that my girls are well prepared for testing, and eventually college-level math.
But, it hasn’t been perfect
However, even though I have been a huge fan of Teaching Textbooks there were two things that I didn’t like about it.
Teaching Textbooks discs let the kids have multiple attempts on problems, including tests. Now, using the honor system I have told the girls not to do problems twice on tests. I check and make sure they don’t when I look at their grades. But, the temptation is still there.
Another thing I didn’t like about the discs is that if the girls switched computers, they lost their progress. We also had some issues with discs being misplaced, or scratched. We bought Teaching Textbooks used, to begin with, so than expecting them to go through multiple kids had me question whether or not they’d last for long. I knew Teaching Textbooks offered a replacement disc option, but the concern of the discs lasting still plagued me.
However, despite these dislikes, we have still had full intentions of using it through high school. So, when I found out recently, Teaching Textbooks had launched an online program. I was excited to try it out. Especially once I found out that the issues I had with Teaching Textbooks were “fixed” with the new online program.
Teaching Textbooks 3.0
Teaching Textbooks 3.0 is the same great program as the disc version except in a new online format. They also offer the textbook as an ebook with each subscription. This means you can print pages from it as needed. Or, if you really want the physical book, you can still buy it without the discs.
What do I like about it?
As I said before, there are so many things we already loved about Teaching Textbooks, but the 3.0 version truly takes an amazing product and makes it even better!
No discs
I no longer have to worry about packing discs, or what happens if a computer crashes. The kid’s progress is saved online and is attached to their online progress forever. This means years from now, I can still look back and access their grades. It means if our computer bites the dust, the kids can access their math from another computer in the house and won’t have to worry about losing their progress in the process. I no longer have to worry about discs being lost, stepped on or scratched up by a younger sibling,
No more hints or second chances
That temptation I worried about with the kids on tests is no longer a worry. With the online Teaching Textbooks, I can turn off hints and second chances. This gives me a more accurate idea of what the girls are retaining.
The price is SUPER affordable!
Teaching Textbook discs have always been a large investment. Most families know that the cost will be made up after being used by multiple children. But, what about families with only a few children? What about the families who have to buy more than one set of discs each year? There are always options for buying used, but many want a high amount for used merchandise and chasing down deals can be a pain.
Insert TT online! At a low cost of $43 – 67 per year, it is much more affordable than buying discs new or even used. They also offer a family plan for those who have more than three kids. This means that for $200 or less you can get Teaching Textbooks for your whole family. That’s right, for the cost of ONE new set of discs you can get this amazing program for your whole family.
I don’t have to check each child’s computer
The new 3.0 program offers easy access for parents. With my parent dashboard, I can check who has done their assignments for the day from my computer. Before 3.0 I would have each child bring me their computer after they finished their assignments and I would check their grades. Or, if I was busy, I would make a note to check it later, meaning sometimes it never got checked at all…
We can still take our time
One concern I had initially with Teaching Textbooks was that you were purchasing the grade level for each child at a one-year subscription plan. There have been times when my children have taken longer than a year to complete a program. Thankfully, Teaching Textbooks offers a pause option for all subscriptions. This means if life happens and you need to take a break from math for a short time, memberships can be paused temporarily to save paying when you’re not using the program.
Ready to Try out Teaching Textbooks?
Guess what? You can for FREE! That’s right take advantage of the free 15-lesson trial by clicking the image below. If you have questions about the trial be sure to check out there FAQ here.
